General News

152nd Shelburne Fall Fair to feature ‘top of the line’ midway

August 22, 2019   ·   0 Comments

Written By MARNI WALSH

This week, Shelburne and District Fair President Larry Braiden announced some good news for local fair enthusiasts.

“Albion Amusements will be providing a top of the line midway at our fair,” Mr. Braiden noted. He says this is the same company, fair goers enjoy, for example,  at the Alliston Potato Festival. 

“We are very excited to bring a new activity to the fair,” says the president. The midway, which was always a central feature of the 152 year old fair in the past, has been missed by many in recent years. Availability and cost concerns had made hiring a company difficult.

First opened in 1867, the fall fair is the oldest, continuing event in the Town of Shelburne. The mandate remains to promote the importance of agriculture through educational displays and competitions. 

This past weekend, Senior Fair Ambassador, Megan Timmins represented the Shelburne Fair at the CNE Ambassador Competition in Toronto. Ms. Timmins called it an “incredible opportunity.”  

She told the Free Press, “The weekend consisted of leadership seminars, meeting other ambassadors, and eating a lot of crazy fair food.” She said, “Having the chance to compete with other ambassadors across Ontario was very rewarding.”

Megan added, “My year as Shelburne’s Senior Fair Ambassador has brought me countless networking and volunteering opportunities, as well as helped me to build connections across the province. It has helped me strengthen my public speaking skills, showed me more about my growing community and taught me how to be an effective leader.”

She continued, “Being Shelburne’s Senior Ambassador goes far past fair weekend. Being an ambassador has changed my perspective on many things and has helped me grow in ways I didn’t know were possible. I’m very thankful for the last year and all it has brought for me.”

The Shelburne Fair is a huge undertaking, that continues to be accomplished year after year by many of the same volunteers that have faithfully brought the fair to the community for decades. These volunteers, believe in the importance and tradition of celebrating the rural roots of Shelburne, as well as Mono, Mulmur, Melancthon and Amaranth Townships. They recognize the importance of educating our young people about food and agriculture.

The Board of Directors for the Shelburne Fair consists of 18 members elected from the Agricultural Society membership, including President Larry Braiden and Homecraft President Sue Peterson. These volunteers, and all the volunteers of Shelburne’s many labour intensive events, and long running community organizations, deserve the community’s continued respect, congratulations, and heartfelt gratitude for their tireless dedication – in public, on social media, and elsewhere. 

The theme for the 2019 Shelburne and District Fair is “Sunflower Surprises.” Hosted by the Shelburne Agricultural Society, the fair features, among many events, a full weekend of fun for the whole family, which includes the Ambassador Competition at the Friday night opening, Exhibit Hall competitions and displays, vendor booths, a children’s area and petting zoo, tractor pulls, round bale races, horse and cattle shows, the Giant Pumpkin Auction, Antique and Farm Equipment demonstrations, the ever popular Demolition Derby …and this year, brand new once more, a midway. 

Come to the Shelburne Fairgrounds at 377 William Street starting Friday, Sept. 13 and running to Sunday, Sept. 15 starting at 8 a.m. Tickets at the gate: adults $ 7, children 13-18 years $4, children under 12 years $2, and preschool children are free. A free bike-draw ticket comes with every child’s admission on Saturday and Sunday. 

For more information visit: shelburnefair.weebly.com.



         

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